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My Birth Story Part 1

I have been meaning to write my birth-story for a long time now.Right after delivery,I wrote a short quick update ,but as time is going by,I find myself forgetting details.So here it is from the Horse’s mouth.

My pregnancy was very eventful-in the first trimester,my progesterone was very low and I had to take progesterone suppositories,to ensure a safe pregnancy.Somewhere between second and third trimester,I developed Gestational Diabetes and that meant a bigger baby, a possible preemie and even a possible C-section.

Also,every time,my OB-GYN examined me,she would stress on my smaller pelvis bone and explain about Cephalopelvic disproportion,and ask me to at least think about a C-section,if need be.In week 30th of the pregnancy,I went for my scheduled Ultra sound and the results were disturbing-The amniotic fluid was dangerously low. I was prescribed Long baths and bed-rest,to get up only for meals and bathroom trips. That took care of the fluid level but my OB-GYN ordered periodic Non-Stress tests(NST). From Week 31st to Week 35th it was once a week and from Week 35th onward,it was twice a week.

Week 37th -March27th, I went for my weekly checkup and when Dr.Hlavacek examined me and She could feel the head but,I was only less than half a cm dilated.And it being my first time,she expected me to go full term,my sugars were doing well,everything was fine.

That night I started getting cramps,almost like menstrual cramps..I spent the next two days lying down.I called up the nurse and she said,it seemed like my cervix was thinning and asked me to call her,as soon as I felt any different-if pains started or water broke.

March 30th,2007I was scheduled to have another NST in the afternoon.I got up as usual and continued with my daily activities,breakfast,made lunch,cleaned and I was feeling very tired.I also noticed that the baby was moving very less.In fact at one point,when I was sitting down to eat lunch,I remembered that I hadn’t felt her move at all,all day.I called up DH and he thought,I was just being paranoid.I called up the nurse,and she asked me drink something cold,lie down on the left side and try to feel the movements.If there were four or more in an hour,things were good.So,I did just that and did feel about 4-5 feeble movements..but,I still felt something was wrong..because,my baby would always kick at least 15-20 times,during this cold water test.I was getting very anxious. I was waiting for DH to arrive,so that he could drive me to the hospital,for my NST.And he was late. I was fuming.The only other time,I had been this angry was the day,we found out I was pregnant,right before finding out.So, anyway,I kept ranting all the way to the hospital,about how he was just not serious.. and how I would have the baby and he would be in his MEETING, blah blah blah …He just listened quietly,thinking it was just one of those hormonal attacks.Anyway, we got to the hospital,about 10 minutes late for the appointment.And as a result,we had to wait for the ultrasound technician to be free.In the meantime,I was hooked on to the monitor,to check the baby’s heart beat.That was the first part of the NST and We cleared that with flying colors.We were in there for about an hour then, and I asked him..Do you think,we’ll have the baby today? He said, No,lets think about what we will eat, at Udupi Palace..and we started thinking about food,and planning our Menu.Before this we had a few false scares and would be hopeful,about having the baby that day and after spending a couple hours at the hospital would go back home. All this food talk was making me hungry and we were still waiting for the ultrasound technician..So,DH, asked the nurse if I could eat something..and the sweet lady that she was,she got me some milk and crackers and peanut butter.That was going to be my last meal for the next 24 hours.Finally around 4.15 pm,the Ultrasound technician strode in with her paraphernalia. And we started the second round of the test.Here,they were going to see- The baby’s heart beat ; The baby’s movement; Volume of the Amniotic Fluid and Baby’s reaction.We got the volume of the amniotic fluid, which was normal.Then they checked the baby’s heart-beat,which was fine too.They made me move from side to side,change positions,and they could see the baby frown or move.But they didn’t see her move at all.The technician tried and tried and she couldn’t get the baby to move at all. So,after almost one hour,she gave up..and said, oh well,we saw her heartbeat and everything looks normal,so its OK.She went out,and a nurse came to check on me..She looked at the fetal monitor and asked me,if I was feeling any contractions..I said No..just mild cramps,but I had been feeling them for the last two days..Then,she asked me,if I felt the baby kick..and I said,well not as much as she normally does.And we joked about the baby being tired of being inside. The nurse tried to “wake up” the baby.She got a vibrator and put it on my tummy.As soon as the first vibration hit my tummy, there was some activity..and then the second time, it felt like there were a thousand babies kicking inside my tummy.She said,”Ah that worked,she is awake now“.I was smiling and the next thing I heard was”Oh Shit!” When the nurse said this,I knew it something was wrong.She ran out to get the doctor. And I panicked,I called out to DH, to check the baby’s heart-beat.That for me was the only indication then,that everything was OK..He was watching TV and didn’t hear me right away..I yelled ,and he saw the heart-beat and he ran out too.What had happened is that with the vibrations, her heart-rate first increased to 160 and then dropped suddenly to 60.All of a sudden,there was a flurry of activity in the room- the resident nurse,the resident doctor,the OB nurse,the doctor on call,everyone came inside.Someone was rubbing my feet,someone was holding the electrodes steady on my tummy and someone was putting an oxygen mask on.They made me turn to the left and turned on the oxygen,that seemed to stabilise the baby’s heart-rate.The Doctor said,we need to talk and her team followed her outside.The nurse,just looked over her shoulder and said..”you may have to stay a little longer“.